10 Things To Know About the La Coka Nostra Album

Finally – a topic that none of you fuckers can speak a word to me about. I’m happy to say that I’m one of the few civilians to so far hear the upcoming La Coka Nostra disc, A Brand You Can Trust, which heads have been waiting years for, and which finally drops this summer. Since I opted not to take a promo copy – the thought being that I would not want to face Slaine, Ill Bill, Everlast, Big Left, Danny Boy, and DJ Lethal if shit accidentally leaked – the best I can do for now is offer a few notes from my listening session a couple weeks ago. Buckle up bitches…

1 – Everlast opens the album with this ringer: “The Pope’s a pedophile with a drug habit.”

2 – Though this is a more or less in-your-grill rap disc as expected, LCN hardly follows traditional verse-after-verse formulas. Due to that – plus the thick cymbal rides, monster guitar chops, and Everlast involvement – expect serious crossover appeal.

3 – The track with Snoop Dogg on the hook, “Bang Bang,” is not only catchier than herpes; it’s also the closest thing to a club banger that I’ll ever like. Slaine comes through with a dope line: “I’m an enemy – you want a friend go and buy a dog.”

4 – DJ Lethal handled the bulk of the beats. Beautifully!!!

5 – The Lethal-produced track with Sick Jacken – “Brujerai” (which means “Witchcraft” in Spanish) – is unrelenting audible energy. House of Pain fans should jizz over this one. Jack also returns later on “Soldier Stories” to murder a verse.

6 – Ill Bill produced the sleeper hit “Cousin of Death” – a slow burning banger with the rock radio potential of “What it’s Like.”

7 – The Alchemist beat on the Bun B track, “Choose Your Side,” is on some crazy snake charmer shit. Brace yourself for one of the tightest Everlast verses ever.

8 – I was pretty wasted by the time I heard it, but I’m pretty sure there’s a bank robbery anthem with Cynic (of Psycho realm) on which Slaine dedicates his verse to Charlestown and Bill threatens to beat someone to death with furniture.